So, if you think there's a product that has all the amp models and effects you want, why not just use that product instead of expect another manufacturer to essentially copy what they're doing? I can tell one thing for certain, and that's that Line 6 is really not interested in trying to recreate the feature set of the Axe FX in the Helix. They have their own vision for what the Helix is going to become. Certainly that means more amps and effects in the future, but it doesn't mean trying to please everyone...

Well, Line 6 has probably releases almost just as many original effects as modeled ones for the Helix... I haven't sat down and counted them all, but a lot of the modulations, delays and reverbs (well, all the reverbs) are Line 6 original creations. Part of the issue is you can't necessarily model a digital effect. It's not like they can tear apart a digital reverb pedal to model the components, because everything responsible for the effect is simply built into an algorithm.

I think every time I've seen someone post about this error, it's a result of using an older version of HX Edit with a newer version of firmware. Both the firmware and HX Edit need to be updated to the latest version, and that's 2.70 for both of them.

Well, I just looked at eBay, and there are few HX Effects units going for around that, but the sellers are also charging over $50 for shipping... So, that’s not quite the super deal it seems at first glance. Consider that it’s not all that difficult to get a new HX Effects for $525 if a retailer has a 15% off coupon.

I can tell you with a lot of certainty there aren't any immediate plans to release an "X" version of the Helix anytime soon. The main reason the HD500X was released was the SHARC processor that it was used was discontinued by the manufacturer. If something like that happens, perhaps Line 6 would have to change their plans, but it's not something that would be done in the span of a few months. It still takes development time to change the hardware. I would still be totally comfortable buying a new Helix right now. As to the horsepower, I've been using the Helix for three years, and there really hardly been any instances where I haven't been able to do what I want to do in a preset. It really only becomes an issue if you want to create a true dual path with amps and cabs in each path...
It's true that the DSP limit in Native is a false limitation. It's not based on the computing power of your system. The rationale behind it to create cross compatibility between the Floor, LT and Rack presets and Native. Having the DSP limit in Native ensures that any preset you create in Native can be exported to the hardware. They have talked about giving an option to remove that limitation in Native so you could insert whatever blocks you want. There's a simple workaround as it stands right now, though. Simply add as many instances of Native as you want in your DAW track and make things as complex as you want.

Voltage regulation wouldn't necessarily have anything to do with voltage drop unless there was a way for the power supply to vary the voltage based on the load. But that's not really a typical feature of these type of switching power supplies. Voltage drop is purely a function of the distance and load. Being the draw from the Stomp is relatively high, voltage drop could be more of an issue compared to a more typical stomp pedal. I'm also, wondering, though if it's your audio lines picking up some interference from the power cable along the way...

It’s still true that HX Edit really is the only thing you need to download. The HX Edit installlation package includes the latest version of HX Edit, Line 6 Updater and all the latest drivers. Even if you have Updater installed, the version you have will be replaced with the newest version.
The only thing that’s changed regarding the instructions is that now they say to use the newest version of HX Edit to make the backup before installing the update. You can actually do it either way - create a backup with the previous version of HX Edit or the new one.

You don’t need to download the .hxf file. Just download and install the latest HX Edit installation package. That has everything you need. Then run Line 6 Updater with the Stomp connected via USB.
For some stupid reason Microsoft Edge tries to open the .hxf file. It’s not a file that can be opened like that. You can save it somewhere if you want. To do that, you could right click on the link for it and hit “save target as”. That will let you save the file wherever you want. It’s not really necessary, though. Updater downloads it for you during the update process.